This disclosure pertains to methods and compositions for supporting endogenous systems related to life span. More particularly, it pertains to nutritional supplements configured to upregulate endogenous systems related to increasing life span. Additionally, it pertains to methods of manufacturing these nutritional supplements and methods of administering these nutritional supplements. The nutritional supplements can comprise various active ingredients including antioxidant compounds and compounds which upregulate endogenous antioxidant systems (e.g., compounds such as, but not limited to, alpha lipoic acid, resveratrol, curcumin, EGCG, Olivol®, rutin, quercetin, and hesperetin).
Conventional nutritional supplements often comprise nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, dietary elements, fatty acids, and other vital nutrients. These nutrients often include compounds such as vitamins that are vital for growth and development but cannot be produced by the body. Sometimes nutritional supplements can include exogenous antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and other carotenoids that provide the body protection against free radicals provided that the exogenous antioxidants are absorbed and retained by the body in sufficient concentrations. Because the body cannot produce some of these exogenous antioxidants and because they can be excreted by certain systems in the body, these exogenous antioxidants must be regularly consumed to provide ongoing protection against free radicals.
In addition to systems to utilize exogenous antioxidants, the body also comprises endogenous antioxidant systems that can help defend against free radical damage. These endogenous antioxidant systems include endogenous antioxidants such as glutathione and thioredoxin and antioxidant enzymes such as glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidases, glutathione-S-transferases (GST), thioredoxin reductase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), NAD(P)H dehydrogenase, quinone 1 (NQO-1), heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), and glutamate-cysteine ligase, catalytic subunit (GCL).
Although conventional nutritional supplements provide a variety of benefits, conventional nutritional supplements are not necessarily without their shortcomings. For example, while conventional nutritional supplements may provide exogenous antioxidants, conventional nutritional supplements do not spur the body to upregulate its own endogenous antioxidant systems. Also, while conventional nutritional supplements may provide exogenous antioxidants, the conventional nutritional supplements are not configured to provide the long-lasting benefit of an increase in endogenous antioxidants.
Thus, while some conventional nutritional supplements currently exist, challenges still persist, including those listed above. Accordingly, it would be an advancement in the art to improve or replace current techniques and/or formulations.